Atlas Renewable Energy Inaugurates Largest Stand-alone BESS in Chile

Atlas Renewable Energy, an international leader in renewable energy solutions and one of the top renewable energy companies in the region, has officially inaugurated its BESS del Desierto battery energy storage system (BESS). Developed in partnership with COPEC through its energy trading arm EMOAC, the project is one of the largest energy storage systems in Latin America. 

Located in Chile’s Antofagasta region, BESS del Desierto has an installed capacity of 200 MW / 4 hours and storage capacity of 800 MWh. The project will use this battery storage technology to store excess solar energy generated during the day and redistribute it during peak consumption hours, increasing the energy grid’s stability while reducing renewable energy curtailment. 

“Looking ahead, you do not have to choose between sustainability and reliability,” stated Carlos Barrera, co-founder and CEO of Atlas Renewable Energy. “As BESS del Desierto proves, we can have both. And Latin America, with its abundance of resources, with its ingenuity, is in a position to be a leader in this transformation globally.” 

“BESS del Desierto is undoubtedly a milestone for Atlas, Chile, and for all of Latin America, but it is not unique in Atlas’ portfolio,” stated Alfredo Solar, Regional Manager of Chile & the Southern Cone for Atlas Renewable Energy. “We have multiple megaprojects in various stages of development, all of them using energy storage systems. This demonstrates the leadership Atlas has cultivated in this space, and we are very proud to see the fruits of our efforts with BESS del Desierto.” 

Atlas is already preparing to use the experience gained in Chile as a reference for future implementation of battery storage in other countries in the region, including Brazil, Colombia and Mexico, reinforcing its role as an active driver of innovation and sustainability in the energy sector. 

BESS Beyond Chile 

As the region continues its energy transition, battery energy storage systems will become increasingly important due to their role in resolving one of renewable power’s largest challenges: intermittency. BESS solutions change this, allowing companies with high energy needs to use renewable energy even when the sun isn’t shining.  

Companies from many sectors already recognize this, as proven by the $510 million financing Atlas recently closed for its Estepa project. Marking the company’s largest financing deal in its history, the hybrid solar photovoltaic and battery storage project is supported by two long-term power purchase agreements signed with Codelco and Colbun, two key players in Chile’s mining and energy sector.  

“At Atlas, we don’t see this project as the finish line,” Barrera added. “This is a starting point. The challenge is no longer to prove that renewables work - it’s to prove that we can deploy them at the speed our world demands. BESS del Desierto shows that this is possible. ” 

Atlas Renewable Energy | www.atlasrenewableenergy.com